Microsoft Corp. and Anil Kumble’s technology startup, Spektacom Technologies, with support from broadcast partner Star India, came together on Thursday to announce the introduction of the Power Bat. The Power Bat provides players, coaches, commentators, fans and viewers with a completely new and unique way to engage with the sport and help improve their game — all powered by the Microsoft Azure cloud platform using AI and Internet of Things (IoT) services the company said in a statement.
Microsoft has been working with Spektacom and its founder Anil Kumble, former captain, Indian cricket team, to incubate and launch the product, as part of its ScaleUp program.
According to Anil Kumble, former captain, Indian cricket team, and founder, Spektacom, “Our vision is to bring sports closer to fans through interesting ways of engagement using real-time sports analytics. At the same time, it is important that the technologies used are seamless and do not disrupt the game or obstruct the players. With Microsoft, we have been able to create a secure and effective solution, and with Star India, we have a partner that can stimulate and excite fan engagement.”
The Power Bat is a unique concept whereby a lightweight, Azure Sphere-powered sticker is stuck on the shoulder of the bat — a form factor that is completely unobtrusive. In a live match, as soon as the batsman hits the ball, data on different parameters (speed on impact, twist on impact and quality of the shot — percentage proximity of the ball’s contact to the sweet spot of the willow) are captured in a new unit of measurement titled Power Speks. Microsoft’s Azure Sphere ensures that the data is securely captured and processed. Using advanced analytics and AI services on Azure, real-time insights are captured through the stump box and displayed via the broadcaster. During practice or coaching, the same data can be viewed through a mobile app.
Although the technology introduced by Spektacom today has its first use case in cricket, for Microsoft, Anil Kumble and Star India this is the first of many sports where it can be used. Microsoft believes in leveraging its technology and its people to help sports teams and organizations solve their toughest challenges. By leveraging the company’s intelligent cloud and productivity solutions, sports organizations worldwide are connecting with fans, optimizing team and player performance, and managing their operations in new, innovative ways.
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